Karta AI raises $3M seed round led by PeerCapital and Cedar Hill

Voice AI startup Karta AI secured $3 million in seed funding, with PeerCapital and Cedar Hill leading the round. The investment follows a successful prototype launch, positioning Karta AI to expand its voice‑enabled solutions across enterprise and consumer markets. The capital will support product development and market entry, marking a significant milestone for the emerging voice AI sector in 2024.

TravClan Secures $5M Funding from Flipkart and August One for Expansion

TravClan, a Delhi‑based B2B travel‑tech platform, raised $5 million in a round that combined equity and debt, with Flipkart Ventures and Singapore's August One taking equity stakes and Trifecta Capital providing debt. The funds will support team expansion, technology upgrades, and deeper global supplier relationships to position TravClan as the infrastructure backbone for travel agencies. Flipkart's stake underscores its strategy to enhance its travel verticals through technology partnerships, leveraging TravClan's network for Cleartrip and Flipkart Travel.

Chapter Homes Raises ₹63 Cr to Expand Home & Kitchen Tech Brands

Chapter Homes, an omnichannel furniture and home furnishings brand founded in 2025, secured ₹63 crore ($6.6 M) in a strategic round that combined debt and equity. The funding, led by Bessemer Venture Partners and Stride Ventures with participation from comedian Tanmay Bhat and several family offices, values the company at close to ₹1,000 crore ($106 M). The firm plans to use the capital to strengthen product development, broaden its category reach into cookware and appliances, and establish an offline presence.

CureBay Secures ₹100 Cr in Pre-Series C Funding Led by IvyCap

CureBay, a digital health platform, raised ₹100 crore in a pre‑Series C round led by IvyCap Ventures. The infusion brings the company closer to scaling its AI‑driven medical diagnostics services across India, potentially accelerating its national rollout. Investors see a signal of growing confidence in healthtech, while founders can leverage the capital for expanding market reach, product development, and deeper data analytics capabilities.

Blacksmith Secures $66 Million Series B at $1 Billion Valuation Led by Sequoia

Blacksmith, a fintech platform focused on payment processing for SMEs, closed a $66 million Series B round, valuing the company at $1 billion. The funding was led by Sequoia Capital, with participation from existing investors, positioning Blacksmith to accelerate product development and expand its market reach. For founders, the round signals strong investor confidence in the SME payments niche; investors see a sizable valuation, and advisors note potential regulatory and scaling challenges ahead.

Premji Invest and Norwest Back Vegafin's Acquisition of NBFC in India

Vegafin has agreed to acquire an Indian significant non‑banking financial company, with the deal supported by Premji Invest and Norwest. The transaction, valued at an undisclosed amount, will allow Vegafin to expand its footprint in the fintech lending sector. Investors should note the backing from two prominent venture firms, signalling confidence in Vegafin's growth prospects for the broader NBFC market.

Mapmygenome Acquires dnaPower Inc. to Expand North American Precision Health Testing

Mapmygenome has completed its acquisition of dnaPower Inc., a U.S.-based provider of DNA and microbiome testing services. The deal positions Mapmygenome to strengthen its presence in the North American precision health market and expand its test portfolio into longevity and microbiome analytics. Investors will benefit from increased geographic reach and a broader product offering, while founders in the health tech space should watch for intensified competition and potential collaboration opportunities.

Harajuku Tokyo Café Secures $3 M Pre-Series A to Expand Outlet Network

Japanese‑themed chain Harajuku Tokyo Café has raised $3 million (₹28 cr) in a pre‑Series A round led by ZeroW, with Indian Angel Network, Samved VC, and new investors such as Blume Founders Fund. The capital will fund the opening of ten new outlets across Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chandigarh and the launch of central kitchens in Mumbai and Bengaluru by December 2026. The founder, Gaurav Kanwar, aims for ₹100 cr revenue this fiscal year after doubling outlets and revenue since the seed round.

Vectorial Secures $3M Series A Led by SenseAI Ventures

Vectorial, a Bengaluru-based fintech startup, announced a $3 million Series A round led by SenseAI Ventures, with participation from other investors. The capital will be used to accelerate product development, expand the customer base, and strengthen its AI-driven credit scoring platform that leverages machine learning to assess creditworthiness for small businesses lacking formal credit history, thereby positioning the firm for rapid scale. The funding underscores growing investor confidence in AI-enabled financial services in India.

Tesla and Nvidia invest $2.8 Billion in Samsung Electro-Mechanics for AI Substrate Production

Tesla and Nvidia will invest a combined 3.7 trillion won ($2.8 billion) in Samsung Electro-Mechanics to build advanced chip substrate production lines in Sejong, South Korea. The investment will fund the construction of FC‑BGA substrate facilities that will supply AI semiconductor manufacturers under a long‑term contract. The deal signals continued interest from global AI hardware leaders in securing supply chains for high‑performance chip components.